Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a source/drain feature and a gate structure formed thereon; forming an interlayer dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate; patterning the interlayer dielectric layer to form a trench to expose the source/drain feature within the trench; forming a dielectric liner on sidewalls of the trench; filling a metal layer in the trench; recessing a portion of the metal layer in the trench, thereby forming a recess in the metal layer; and refilling a dielectric material layer in the recess.

Abstract: A method includes forming first and second fins disposed on a substrate, forming a gate structure over the first and second fins, epitaxially growing a first source/drain (S/D) feature on the first fin and a second S/D feature on the second fin, depositing a dielectric layer covering the first and second S/D features, etching the dielectric layer to form a trench exposing the first and second S/D features, forming a metal structure in the trench and extending from the first S/D feature to the second S/D feature, performing a cut metal process to form an opening dividing the metal structure into a first segment over the first S/D feature and a second segment over the second S/D feature, and depositing an isolation feature in the opening. The isolation feature separates the first segment from the second segment.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming an insulating layer over a semiconductor substrate including a conductive feature, forming an insulating layer with a trench over the semiconductor substrate to expose the conductive feature, and forming a sacrificial liner layer over two opposite sidewalls and a bottom of the trench. Ions are implanted into the conductive feature covered by the sacrificial liner layer, so that a doping region is formed in the conductive feature and has two opposite side edges respectively separated from the two opposite sidewalls of the trench. The sacrificial liner layer is removed after forming the doping region, and a conductive connecting structure is formed in the trench. The two opposite sidewalls of the conductive connecting structure are respectively separated from the two corresponding opposite sidewalls of the trench by an air spacer.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods are provided. An exemplary method according to the present disclosure includes forming a first source/drain feature, a second source/drain feature and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer over the first and second source/drain features. The method also includes removing a portion of the ILD layer to form a cut feature opening and forming a hybrid cut feature therein to divide a to-be-formed metal layer into multiple pieces as source/drain contacts. The hybrid cut feature includes a conformal dielectric liner over the cut feature opening and a dielectric filler over the dielectric liner. During the formation of a source/drain contact opening, at least a portion of the dielectric liner extending along a sidewall of the dielectric filler is partially and selectively removed, leading to a dimension-reduced hybrid cut feature and thus a reduced spacing between two adjacent source/drain contacts.

Abstract: A method according to the present disclosure includes receiving a workpiece that includes a gate structure, a first gate spacer feature, a second gate spacer feature, a gate-top dielectric feature over the gate structure, the first gate spacer feature and the second gate spacer feature, a first source/drain feature over a first source/drain region, a second source/drain feature over a second source/drain region, a first dielectric layer over the first source/drain feature, and a second dielectric layer over the second source/drain feature. The method further includes replacing a top portion of the first dielectric layer with a first hard mask layer, forming a second hard mask layer over the first hard mask layer while the second dielectric layer is exposed, etching the second dielectric layer to form a source/drain contact opening and to expose the second source/drain feature, and forming a source/drain contact over the second source/drain feature.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming an insulating layer over a semiconductor substrate including a conductive feature, forming an insulating layer with a trench over the semiconductor substrate to expose the conductive feature, and forming a sacrificial liner layer over two opposite sidewalls and a bottom of the trench. Ions are implanted into the conductive feature covered by the sacrificial liner layer, so that a doping region is formed in the conductive feature and has two opposite side edges respectively separated from the two opposite sidewalls of the trench. The sacrificial liner layer is removed after forming the doping region, and a conductive connecting structure is formed in the trench. The two opposite sidewalls of the conductive connecting structure are respectively separated from the two corresponding opposite sidewalls of the trench by an air spacer.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods are provided. A semiconductor structure according to the present disclosure includes a first fin structure and a second fin structure over a substrate, a first source/drain feature disposed over the first fin structure and a second source/drain feature disposed over the second fin structure, a dielectric feature disposed over the first source/drain feature, and a contact structure formed over the first source/drain feature and the second source/drain feature. The contact structure is electrically coupled to the second source/drain feature and is separated from the first source/drain feature by the dielectric feature.

Abstract: A method according to the present disclosure includes receiving a workpiece that includes a gate structure, a first gate spacer feature, a second gate spacer feature, a gate-top dielectric feature over the gate structure, the first gate spacer feature and the second gate spacer feature, a first source/drain feature over a first source/drain region, a second source/drain feature over a second source/drain region, a first dielectric layer over the first source/drain feature, and a second dielectric layer over the second source/drain feature. The method further includes replacing a top portion of the first dielectric layer with a first hard mask layer, forming a second hard mask layer over the first hard mask layer while the second dielectric layer is exposed, etching the second dielectric layer to form a source/drain contact opening and to expose the second source/drain feature, and forming a source/drain contact over the second source/drain feature.

Abstract: A method according to the present disclosure includes receiving a workpiece that includes a gate structure, a first gate spacer feature, a second gate spacer feature, a gate-top dielectric feature over the gate structure, the first gate spacer feature and the second gate spacer feature, a first source/drain feature over a first source/drain region, a second source/drain feature over a second source/drain region, a first dielectric layer over the first source/drain feature, and a second dielectric layer over the second source/drain feature. The method further includes replacing a top portion of the first dielectric layer with a first hard mask layer, forming a second hard mask layer over the first hard mask layer while the second dielectric layer is exposed, etching the second dielectric layer to form a source/drain contact opening and to expose the second source/drain feature, and forming a source/drain contact over the second source/drain feature.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a large-area thin film solar cell includes the steps of: (a) forming a first contact layer on a substrate; (b) forming a multi-layer metal precursor film on the first contact layer, which includes the sub-steps of (b1) sputtering a first multinary metal precursor layer on the first contact layer, the first multinary metal precursor layer containing Cu, Ga and KF, and (b2) sputtering an In-containing precursor layer on the first multinary metal precursor layer; and (c) subjecting the multi-layer metal precursor film to selenization to form an absorber layer having a chalcopyrite phase.